


It's Time

by Low_Key_Loki



Series: Wintershock Firsts: There's a First Time for Everything [1]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Building Relationship, F/M, MCU Wintershock Firsts, Steve is only mentioned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-22 12:27:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4835351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Low_Key_Loki/pseuds/Low_Key_Loki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy was just minding her own business when she started to hear footsteps shadowing her own. She tries remembering her training and hopes it won't fail her now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! For those of you who are reading my longer story, I've not abandoned it. I promise. Consider this completely adjacent to that universe. I hope you enjoy. I want to mention, however, that there is a scene depicting rape or noncon, but the way Darcy is grabbed may be triggering. Forewarned is forearmed.
> 
> Loosely based on: I was trying to ask for directions and you accidentally pepper sprayed me cause you thought I was your stalker.” from [ToxicPumpkin](http://toxicpumpkin.tumblr.com)

Darcy quickened her pace and listened to the heavy footfall behind her speed up as well. Yep, she was being followed. _That’s what she gets for dating a coworker_ , she thought bitterly. SHIELD agents didn’t take no for an answer very well and Mason from IT was proving to be no different. A person that worked with computers shouldn’t be all stalkery.

 

She tried losing her tail by cutting down a side street and onto one of the busier streets in Midtown. Taking off her bright hat and fluffing her hair so hat head wouldn’t give her away, she slipped what she thought was seamlessly into the flow of pedestrians. For once being short had an advantage. At only 5’3, even most women had at least an inch of height on her.

 

Darcy walked about two blocks and seeing neither hide nor hair of her would be assailant, she started to relax into her normal gait. Sure, it pissed off the people in a hurry, but eh, she wasn’t going to try to keep up with people that had almost a foot on her.

 

Settling into herself, she started distracting herself with the recipes she had found on foodgawker and tried to decide if she needed to hit a grocery store to get ingredients. Her thoughts were interrupted when a large hand grasped her bicep and pulled her into the mouth of a nearby alley. _Oh hell no_ , she thought, _I will not be a victim to this._ The man’s other hand clamped over her mouth as if reading her thoughts. _Nope, no, nein_. She reached into her bag surreptitiously and waited for her moment.

 

When they got to the center of the alley, he let her go and she tightened her grip on her taser. Mystery Man came into her line of sight, and she took only a split second to decide. Same longish dark brown hair, same side profile. That was enough for her and she fired her weapon and the prongs bounced off his arm. What the… Then he turned to look at her with a dark, disapproving look.

 

Her eyes were wide and she held up placating hands. “I’m so sorry. I thought you were someone else. I have a personal protection order and everything,” she said, laughing nervously. She suddenly knew who he was when her taser bounced off his arm. Everyone that was part of what remained of SHIELD knew about what happened between this man and Captain America. She decided to take the direct and polite approach. “I’m Darcy Lewis. And you are?” She offered her hand for him to shake.

 

“By the way your hand is shaking, I think you already know,” he said in a slightly gravely voice. He sighs as if he remembers he had manners once upon a time and took her hand and kissed the back softly. “Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes at your service, dollface, but you can call me Bucky. Now that we got the awkward introductions out of the way, do you think I could just tell you why you’re here?” Darcy gave him the universal hand gesture for him to continue. “I need to find Steve Rogers and I know you work with him so you are an ideal target.”

 

Darcy’s eyes went hard. “You mean I’m the easiest pickings.” She poked him in the chest so hard, she was afraid she sprained her finger, but continued on anyway. “I’ll have you know, I’m really not. You see, my adoptive big brother can summon lightning and fry your ass. He’s the Norse god of thunder.”

 

Bucky blinked a few times and rolls his eyes. “I just want you to navigate me, not marry me. Какая часть меня думала, что это хорошая идея снова?”

 

“Dude! Didn’t your mother ever teach you it’s impolite to speak in languages the other person in a conversation doesn’t understand?” She sighs and grabs his hand made of flesh and this time it is tiny her dragging a man that is almost a foot taller than her to the curb where she summons a taxi and gives the driver the address in Brooklyn before relaxing a little. “So that was Russian that you spoke back there. Natasha taught me a little.”

 

He smiles a little at that. If it was something Natalia needed it was friends. “I’ve got some of my memories back. Enough that I won’t be a danger to Steve, if he still wants me around after the Triskellion.”

 

Darcy waves his concern away with a hand. “If there’s one thing Steve is, it’s forgiving,” she said softly, “Especially with you, Bucky. Sure he missed the other Commandos and a part of him still mourns what might have been with Peggy, but he’s consoled by the fact that she had a rich, full life after he was gone. You. You are the one he feels he failed, more than once. First the train during the way and again when you were brainwashed.”

 

“I don’t blame him for any of that though.”

 

“Well, that’s not really what matters, is it? Maybe you should tell him that,” she replied before looking out the window, watching the buildings. “Looks like we’re here.”

 

Bucky looked around the identical brownstones until he saw it: Steve’s motorcycle from the war. He turned to look at his guide for a moment, noticing not for the first time, or even the ninth, how beautiful she was and how much she reminded him of his first love. He started to get out of the taxi and stops, looking back at her. “Do you think you might want to get coffee sometime?”

 

Darcy smiled and kissed his cheek, grabbing his flesh hand and a pen, writing down her number. “I’d really like that, Bucky. Now get in there and talk to your best friend.” She kissed his cheek again, catching the corner of his mouth. She watched him from the taxi until he disappeared inside. Yeah, meeting up for coffee would be awesome.


	2. You're so Vain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, *someone* has a big mouth.

Steven G. Rogers was an absolute shit and Darcy would never be convinced otherwise. When Bucky had called her later that day to pick a day later in the week to meet for coffee—and wasn’t that refreshing, a guy who didn’t play around with those stupid will they, won’t they call games—she could hear Steve snickering in the background, followed by a loud thump and a pained, “Ow, geez Buck, fine.”

 

They had met for coffee on a Friday almost a month ago. Things had… progressed, but they agreed to keep things quiet between them. Bucky, to use his spy lingo, had just come in from the cold—hah, Winter Soldier, cold, she slayed herself—and she worked with too many nosy people, including his ex- _whatever_ he wanted to call her, Natasha Romanov. Darcy was partial to amazing goddess she wanted to be when she grew up, but that made Bucky’s face scrunch up.

 

Surprisingly, the nosiest of them all wasn’t a spy. No, oh no, it was the little shit in question, also known as Bucky’s best friend, Steve and look who was coming around the corner. Darcy tripped over her own feet diving for the door to an empty conference room, barely righting herself before smacking her face on the door. She was still caught red handed and completely undignified, but at least she wouldn’t be walking around with the imprint of the door handle on her forehead all day. “Steve, hey! You. I was wondering where you got off to,” she said, doing a mental happy dance that her voice didn’t waiver from her almost-face-plant.

 

“Hey Darcy, have you talked to Bucky today,” he asked, his face a little drawn in concern.

 

She bit her lip and schooled her features in her best innocent expression. “No, Steve, I haven’t. Why, is something wrong?”

 

He shrugged, a little too nonchalantly for her taste and started walking down the hall slowly so she could follow. “Not as such, no. I just heard an awful lot of racket last night and he was gone before I could check on him this morning. He won’t talk to me about it and I know you said the two of you aren’t dating so I thought maybe he told you since you’ve become such good friends. See, I did find a pair of lace women’s under—Hey, Darce, you okay?”

 

No, she most definitely was not! She mumbled an excuse and nearly ran from Captain America, red faced in embarrassment. Darcy didn’t miss the little smirk that followed her. Oh, Steve wasn’t trying to be cruel, but she also knew the moment Natasha heard what happened, so would Bucky and. And what? She sat at someone’s unoccupied desk and closed her eyes with a sigh.

 

Bucky eyed the overly complicated, sad excuse for a coffee that Darcy seemed to prefer. He planned to surprise her at work, now that he was actually allowed to know what she did without making, what was it she liked to call him, oh right, Patchy the Pirate paranoid. Really, try to kill the man once—twice but who was counting, really—and he would refuse to trust you for life. Anyway, it was more Steve’s call, and he made it, so he got coffee too. Real coffee, not a frapa-what-the-fuck.

 

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he borrowed a tabletop outside to set the beverages down while he fished it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. It was a text from Natal- Natasha.

 

**_Romanov:_ ** _If you plan on surprising your “friend” today, get down here. Cap just sent her fleeing with public talk of lacy things he found._

He was suddenly glad he wasn’t gripping his phone in his left hand. He sent her an affirmative text and dropped it back in his pocket before offering Steve’s coffee to a passerby. No coffee for assholes. Assholes would get his foot planted right up their rude backsides though.

 

Darcy had been sitting at the desk, forehead planted firmly against the wood when she felt someone tap her shoulder and clear their throat. “Excuse me, Agent Lewis?” She looked up to see one of the younger kids Steve had brought into work with the Avengers, Peter if she was correct. She smiled kindly and he handed her a s’mores Frappuccino, her favorite. Her confusion must have showed on her face because he replied, “A guy with a metal arm and long hair asked me to give it to you and to tell you he’d be by to see you after he,” Peter stopped and looked up as if trying to remember his exact words, “oh! He’d be by to see you ‘after he taught an overgrown punk some manners.’”

 

“Oh shit. Thanks, Peter,” she said as she quickly set the drink on the desk and darted toward the gym, where she thought it was most likely to catch Steve, and therefore Bucky, before things went too far. Anyone with a television had already seen what these two could do to each other given the right motivation and while she didn’t think a month old relationship would cause a knockdown, drag out fight between the lifelong friends, none of them knew what could or would trigger Bucky. Not yet, anyway. His recovery was still too new and the scars too fresh.

 

She heard the raised voices from down the hall so it was no surprise when she came through the gym doors to see Steve and Bucky in each other’s faces, tension filling both of their frames, Bucky telling Steve that his mother didn’t raise him to embarrass women in public and Steve getting even redder at the mention of his mother. He _really_ didn’t like bullies, even if they were his best friend.

 

What did surprise her was the audience: Clint, Natasha, Sam, a few agents. Not a single one stepped forward to stop what was happening, and one redheaded cat looked at _her_ like she was the canary. Fuck. Natasha knew. She narrowed her eyes at the woman and a brief smile flitted across her face. Well, that was worrisome.

 

She started to step forward to end the stupidity and Clint stopped her. Either he was in cahoots with the evil Russian mastermind or he just wanted to keep her from getting in the middle of two super soldiers if it came to blows. Meh, it was 50/50. Let it never be said that she, Darcy Lewis, did not know how to use her big mouth for good as often as she did evil, “Hey, boneheads! Knock this shit off. You’re causing a scene.”

 

Steve’s eyes caught hers and he actually turned his back on Bucky, “Darce, good, you’re here. Will you tell him that I was not rude and that I was merely expressing concern? It’s not every day that you find,” he cut himself off and rethought his words, “such things in your best friend’s room?”

 

“Didn’t you do enough the first time? Leave my girlfriend alone, punk!”

 

Suddenly a pin could have dropped and even Clint without his hearing aids would have been able to hear it. Natasha’s smile actually grew bigger which, coming from her was unsettling and sent the agents scurrying. Sam sighed and handed $30 to Steve. Clint whipped around to give her a pitiful look. “Aw Darcy, no. You couldn’t go 5 more days before one of you said it? I had that whole week in the pool.”

 

Bucky though, well, he looked like he had somehow betrayed her confidence. Darcy gave Clint a sympathetic smile and said, “Sorry Mulan, it happened. James Buchannon Barnes is, indeed, my boyfriend.” With that, she walked over to Bucky and offered him her hand which he took and silently defied the others to object.

 

Steve looked positively ecstatic. He did however look down at Darcy as he asked Bucky, “She make you happy, Buck?”

 

“Absolutely,” he said with conviction. “However if you do something like today again, I will finish what we almost started.” He met Steve’s gaze and both men nodded. Steve in turn gave Darcy a hug. He was just glad Bucky had found a small slice of happiness for himself.


	3. A Gift of the Past for Your Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the past tries to eat you alive at every turn, sometimes the only thing you need is a little reminder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fail! Meh, I missed my deadlines by, well, a lot. I still plan on finishing this though! Hope you enjoy. You can catch me over on Tumblr as well. [Night of the Living Loki (Will be changed back on November 1st)](http://nightofthelivingloki.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> Come play with me. I accept prompts unless otherwise noted.

It really didn’t take long to mend things between Bucky and Steve. After all, he hadn’t meant any harm and Darcy pointed out as much. Loudly and frequently. She was relieved when she came over to their shared apartment maybe a week later to see them watching an old movie together, laughing. Good, because while _she_ was going to be annoyed for some time, she was not about to come between a friendship some 90 years in the making. No siree, she didn’t need the bad karma.

 

So when Steve walked through the living room of his apartment to see one gloomy looking agent watching her boyfriend’s favorite movie, sans boyfriend, it took him a moment to get up the gumption to see what was going on. Darcy’s temper made him long for the days of World War II. “Hey Darce, _It Happened One Night_ , huh? Isn’t that usually a date night movie?”

 

Shrewd blue eyes swung his way and he almost thought he was going to have to retreat and rethink his battle strategy when she moved her legs off of the sofa cushion in invitation and replied, “Your girlfriend stole my boyfriend, Cap. He’s not having a good day so she thought something familiar might help.”

 

Steve watched her for a moment before sitting down next to her, taking it as a sign of truce. “Dare I ask what ‘familiar’ means to Nat and Bucky?”

 

Darcy snorted indelicately and propped her feet back up on his thigh, just like she had done before she had gotten so angry at him. A sign of forgiveness. “Well, not to malign the woman I want to be when I grow up,” she said, pausing to nudge him with her heel when he started to laugh, “tell her I said that, Rogers, and your time as a Capsicle will look like a day at the beach compared to the cold shoulder you get.”

 

“I really wish Stark knew how to keep his mouth shut.”

 

“Well, he doesn’t, now hush.” She narrowed her eyes and stared until he held up his hands in surrender. “As I was saying, not to malign she of the awesome, but I’m pretty sure it involves firearms or pointy things. You know how those two love their firearms and pointy things,” she said with a shrug. “Besides, I don’t think Bucky would help her start the Cold War or anything. Barton’s not around to piss him off.”

 

Steve let his head fall to the back of the sofa with a sigh. “Those two need a hobby.”

 

“They have one. Firearms and pointy things,” said Darcy, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. _Duh, Steve. Keep up!_

 

It was his turn to fix her with a heated look as he said, “I meant a less deadly one and you know it Darcy.”

 

She merely hopped up from her seat and walked across the room to her bag, taking out her laptop. “I can’t go by what you meant, Steve, only what you said. I did have a suggestion for that and I think you’re just the nonagenarian to help me with it.

* * *

 

 

Bucky rubbed a weary hand down his face as he unlocked his apartment door. He felt like shit and he wasn’t sure how he was going to handle this one. His morning had started off rough after a night filled with more nightmares than usual. Normally Darcy stayed over, especially since Steve had let the cat out of the bag and he no longer felt the overwhelming urge to hide what was good in his life for fear that someone would take it.

 

Bucky had wanted to kill him in the moment, fearing for her safety. She was _the_ good in his life. He loved Darcy. Steve loved Darcy. He trusted Steve. Steve would protect Darcy, even from him if it came to that. That meant he could keep Darcy. These were all things that she helped him realize after, when she asked—no, made—him forgive his best friend. That’s what made today so much harder.

 

Setbacks happen. Sam had told them that, but rather than face her like a man, he ran to hide behind Natali—Natasha’s skirts. She recognized the stiffness in his movements and the unwillingness to communicate. _She_ had called Darcy to let her know that Bucky wouldn’t be at the apartment for the movie date they had planned. Worse yet, Darcy wasn’t angry. Instead she understood and asked Natasha to let him know that she would be there for him when he felt up to talking—or not talking—whatever the case may be. These were the times he realized that she was too good for someone like him.

 

Even as he closed the door behind himself and locked it, he could hear her voice in her head. _Don’t you dare ever think I’m too good for you or that you can’t have something you want because of who you think you are! Your past does not define you, James._ The annoyed, husky tone of it brought a smile to his face even as he kicked himself for not coming home earlier. He’d sparred with Nat and Sam, with his new and improved wings, until almost midnight. Grabbing a water from the fridge, he shuffled into his room and promptly stopped short.

 

There, he found the woman who had taken over his brain all day and driven him crazy—well, crazier—looking adorable and sleep rumpled in her light blue Brooklyn Dodgers baseball tee and a pair of black yoga pants. Her hair was spread out on the pillow that he usually occupied and her glasses were askew on her nose, telling him she had tried to stay up and failed. Setting his water down, he drew the blanket over her legs and just briefly brushed his lips to her temple, moving a wrapped package with his name on it.

 

Despite being a ghost in the espionage community, that apparently wasn’t good enough for his former intern girlfriend as she stirred and greeted him with a soft hand on his shoulder blade and a sleep warmed greeting. “Hey handsome. Did you just get home?” Bucky swallowed and nodded, not meeting her gaze.

 

Darcy shifted behind him and wrapped him up in a hug around his neck, resting her head on his metal shoulder. “I see you found it,” she said, gesturing toward the package in his hands.

 

He turned his head and willed her to see everything he was thinking. He might feel… better than this morning, but he didn’t want to say too much. Not yet. Not while he wasn’t entirely himself or the other. Nodding, she kissed his cheek and gestured him to open it. Inside the cheery Bucky Bear paper—and he was never going to live that little piece of marketing down—was a photo album. He glanced at her as he started flipping through it.

 

“Natasha told me that when you have a rough day and the Soldier is riding you, something familiar to you always helps,” she said quickly, her nerve apparent. “I thought these might be a nicer reminder of who you were, thanks to Steve, but also,” she stopped and swallowed as he flipped through the photos that started from days when his memories were spottiest. A few of Steve— _I thought you were smaller—_ and the Howling Commandos— _We barely got out of there alive, and you want us to go back?—_ to pictures of his sisters.

 

Finally, he sees what has Darcy so on edge. After the trip down nostalgia lane start pictures of her, Steve as he is now, Natasha and Sam, all of them together. “I also thought it might be a great reminder of where you are and where you’re headed,” she finished, chewing on her full bottom lip.

 

Bucky can’t help but smile and slide his lips against hers in a sweet kiss, even as he pulls her into his arms, letting the album slip to the bed. Resting his forehead against hers, he takes a deep breath and looks into her eyes, speaking the only words that he can think of but even they don’t seem to be enough for what she has given him: piece of mind and unconditional love, “Thank you.”


End file.
